Tigers

Ease Your Pain; Take Solace In Tigers’ Starting Pitchers

NEW YORK, NY – APRIL 28: Drew Smyly #33 of the Detroit Tigers throws a pitch in the bottom of the first inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on April 28, 2012 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Christopher Pasatieri/Getty Images)

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You want me to say it. I know you do. I’m essentially a trained seal, and this is about the time I’d be bellowing something about panic in a place called Tigertown.

Not gonna do it. Not yet.

The offense has been abysmal. The record is mediocre, 15-15. The defense is below-average. The bullpen is wildly inconsistent.

So why am I holding off on the bellowing? Simple: The starting pitching has been excellent of late.

I’m not here to make you feel better about the Tigers. They are painful to watch right now. I’m here to offer some basic baseball perspective. You’d much, much rather have the pitching be good and the hitting fall apart than the other way around.

I know that’s scant consolation as they labor to scrape out two runs per game. But with the emergence of rookie lefty Drew Smyly (ERA: 1.59) and the return of Doug Fister (ERA: 0.00), all of a sudden the Tigers have a very nice rotation.

But Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder will hit more, and Austin Jackson already is hitting. As bad as the lineup has been, the rotation is keeping the Tigers afloat. Between grumbles about all the swings-and-misses, take a deep breath, watch the Tigers’ starters, and sit tight for now. When it’s time to panic, I’ll let you know.